Apparatus for playing a racquet and ball game in a confined space

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for playing a racquet and ball game in a confined space comprises an enclosed playing arena having a generally rectangular playing area; upright walls surrounding said playing area; a roof extending over said playing arena and extending between opposed upper regions of the walls; and a pair of upright spaced substantially parallel barriers. The barriers extend transversely of the playing area to divide the playing area into two substantially equal player&#39;s zones. The player&#39;s zones each include a ball service boundary marked on and extending transverely of each of the player&#39;s zone. An upper edge of each of the barriers is spaced from the roof.

THIS INVENTION is concerned with a novel ball game embodying anapparatus to play the game.

Most ball games such as tennis, cricket, squash and the like, whetherplayed indoors or outdoors require a playing arena which is a permanentconstruction unable to be moved from one site to another.

The present invention comprises an apparatus embodying a ball game,which apparatus may be in the form of a permanent or portable playingarena

According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for playing aball game, said apparatus comprising:

an enclosed playing arena having a generally rectangular playing area;

wall means surrounding said playing area;

roof means extending over said playing arena and extending betweenopposed upper regions of said wall means; and,

upright spaced substantially parallel barrier means extendingtransversely of said playing area to divide said playing area into twosubstantially equal player's zones, said player's zones each including aball service boundary marked on and extending transversely of each saidplayer's zone.

Preferably upper portions of at least one pair of opposed side walls areinclined inwardly at an angle of between 30 degrees and 60 degreesrelative to an upright portion of said side walls. Most preferably theupper portions of said at least one pair of opposed side walls areinclined at 45 degrees relative to an upright portion thereof.

In a ball game playable within said apparatus, playing surfaces includeall wall surfaces, a roof surface and a base surface.

The playing surfaces comprise any suitable surface, the base surfacecomprising any relatively flat surface such as a timber or concretefloor an earthen surface, a natural or synthetic grassed surface or thelike.

The wall and/or roof playing surfaces may comprise any suitablesubstantially planar surface such as opaque, translucent or transparentsheet or web material such as timber, metal, glass, woven fabric or thelike or any combination thereof. Most preferably the wall surfaces arecomprised of open weave woven plastic mesh.

The spaced parallel transverse barriers extend to a suitable heightabove a base surface and the top edges thereof are spaced from said roofsurface. The barriers may comprise any suitable generally planar membersextending between opposed side walls of said apparatus.

The barriers each suitably comprise a mesh-like member and preferablyeach comprises a draped or stretched coarse weave net-like material

The service boundaries suitably comprise linear markings extendingtransversely of said playing area between a respective barrier andadjacent parallel side wall. Most preferably said service boundaryincludes a ball service area having a further boundary extendingtherearound, said service area being located between said serviceboundary and an adjacent side wall.

Preferably said apparatus includes at least one securable access meansin a side wall to allow entry or exit of players from the playing arena.Most preferably said access means communicates with the space betweensaid spaced barrier means.

The apparatus may comprise any suitable frame means to support said wallmeans and said roof means, said frame means comprising a unitarystructure, a demountable or foldable structure and/or said frame meanscomprising modular elements to enable erection of playing arenas ofdiffering sizes.

The ball game is suitably played with a bat, paddle or racquet,preferably with a racquet having a mesh-like playing surface and a shorthandle to suit play in a relatively confined space. The ball maycomprise any suitable ball but, preferably comprises a relatively soft,low density ball made from a material such as low density plastics foam.

In order that the invention may be more easily understood reference ismade to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferredembodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a side elevation of a playing arena.

FIG. 2 illustrates a plan view the playing arena.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In FIG. 1 the playing arena comprises a generally rectangular playingarea confined a cage-like structure 1 comprising a metal framework 2supporting on its inner frame members mesh-like walls 3 and a roof 4 ofwoven plastics mesh.

The structure comprises side will frames 5 of tubular metalconstruction, the side walls comprising horizontal members 6, 7 and 8and upright members 9 and 10 at each end, members 8 forming roof membersand members 10 forming end wall members.

The structure 1 comprises a pair of side wall frames 5 spaced inparallel relationships by transverse frame members (not shown).

In at least one side wall there is provided an access means for players,the access means comprising a door 11 hinged to the side wall frame 5.

Extending transversely of the side wall frames 5 are games nets 12 inthe form of a coarse woven mesh suspended on door frame members 13.

The end walls are formed by upright members 10 and inclined members 10a,suitably inclined at 45 degrees to upright members 10.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the playing arena.

The playing arena is shown as rectangular in plan having parallelopposed sides 14, 14a and 15, 15a, the sides 15, 15a forming the ends ofthe playing area 16. The playing area is divided by the spaced parallel12 into opposed playing zones 17 and 18 separated by a lead ball zone 19between said playing zones.

Each playing zone 17, 18 includes a service boundary marking 20extending transversely of the playing zone and a service area defined bya further boundary marking 21.

In use, the apparatus may be used with a ball game approximating amixture of tennis and squash. The playing surface may measure anysuitable dimensions such as from say 8 m × 3 m up to 20 m × 8 m. Theheight of the roof may be from 3 m to 6 m. Suitably the apparatusdefines a playing arena 10.2 m in length, 4 m in width and 3.2 m inheight. The game may be played with two players (singles) of fourplayers (doubles).

RULES OF THE GAME

The rules of a singles game are as follows:

1. The Score

A match shall consist of the best of 3 or 5 games, each game is to 12points. The first player to reach 12 with a margin of 2 points wins thegame. If the score reaches 11 all, the first player to gain a 2 pointadvantage wins the game; e.g., 13--11, 15--13 etc.

2. How to Score a Point

Points can only be scored by the server. If the server wins a rally hescores a point. If the receiver wins a rally he becomes the server.

3. The Service

The right to serve shall be decided by the spin of a racket.

4. A Good Service

For a service to be good the ball shall be thrown in the air or simplydropped and hit before it bounces or touches anything. The ball shall bestruck with an underarm action from near waist level. The ball musttravel in an upwards direction after it has been struck. After theserver has struck the ball it must clear both nets before it touches thefloor, any wall or the ceiling.

5. A Fault

If the server serves one fault he loses the service.

6. A service is a fault if:

The server serves a foot fault (see rule 7); the server makes an attemptbut fails to hit the ball;

the ball is carried or thrown on the racquet.

7. A Footfault

The server must have both feet within the service box and not touchingany part of the service box line. Both feet must remain in contact withthe floor until the serve is struck. If the server serves a footfault heloses the service.

8. A Service Let

A service is a let if after being struck by the server and beforetouching the floor any wall or the ceiling it hits the top of one orboth nets and lands in the opponent's side of the court. The receivercannot return a let and the service must be replayed without alterationto the score.

9. A Good Return of Service

To make a good return the receiver must remain with both feet behind theservice line until the server has struck the ball.

10. A Good Return

To make a good return the player must return the ball over both netsbefore it has bounced twice on the floor in his half of the court. Theball can be returned without bouncing (volleyed) at any time. The ballmay rebound off any wall or the ceiling before it clears the nets.

A return is good even if after being hit and before touching the floorit hits the top of one or both nets and lands in the opponent's side ofthe course without first touching the floor.

11. A Return is not good if:

The striker while playing a shot reaches over or touches either net.

The racquet is not in the player's hand when the ball is struck.

The ball is hit more than once before it clears the nets.

The ball is carried or thrown with the racquet.

12. Lets

A let shall be played if:

The ball touches any article lying on the floor.

The ball breaks during play.

The service is a let (Rule 8).

On return of service the receiver is not ready and does not attempt toreturn the ball.

If either player is distracted by an occurrence on or off the court.

The rules of a doubles game are substantially the same as for a singlesgame with the following exceptions:

After a good service and a good return the four players, two per team atopposite ends of the court, return the ball alternately until one teamfails to return the ball.

13. The Service

Either player in a team may serve, but the same player shall remain theserver until the serve is lost.

The server's partner may stand anywhere in their half of the court, butif he is touched by the ball after it has been struck by the server andbefore it clears the nets, this would be a fault and they would lost theserve.

14. Receiving Service

Either player in a team may return serve, but the person receiving mustremain behind the service line until the server has struck the ball.

The receiver's partner may stand anywhere in his team's half of thecourt, but if he is touched by the ball before it has been hit by thereceiver then they shall lose a point.

15. Hitting the Ball to your Partner

You may hit the ball to your partner who then in turn must play the nextshot over the net, the ball must not touch the floor after the firstplayer hits the ball and it must be played from racquet to racquet.

This double play is also considered good on return of serve.

16. A Return will Not Be Good

If at any time the ball touches a player's body or clothing.

The ball is hit more than once by any player before it is hit by apartner or opponent.

General Rules: Warm-up

Immediately before the match the players shall be allowed 5 minuteswarm-up. In between games players will be allowed two minutes rest.

As far as practical play should be continuous with a maximum of 10seconds between the end of one rally and the start of the next.

Duties of an Umpire

The umpire shall to the best of his or her ability see that the playersabide by the rules of Squennis and play the game in a sporting and fairmanner.

The umpire shall:

1. Announce the players;

2. time the warm-up;

3. call 15 seconds before start of play announce the server and callplay to start the match;

4. call the score. The server's score will always be called first;

5. call game at the end of the game;

6. call 15 seconds warning between games and announce the game scorebefore the start of the next game;

7. make decisions on faults, footfaults, lets and incorrect strokes.

If the umpire is unable to make a decision a let shall be played.

The umpire's decision shall be final.

The ball game, whenever played with the apparatus, and according to therules described, offers a number of advantages over conventional racquetand ball games such as tennis and squash. Point scoring for example mayfollow either the rules of tennis or squash or comprise a variationthereof.

With the exception of the service boundaries there are no line markingswhich might otherwise give rise to disputed line calls. In addition whenpaying in a relatively confined playing area when compared with aconventional tennis court, the provision of two spaced nets prevents theplaying of short or "drop" strokes and requires both service and returnstrokes to be played at a flatter angle thus increasing the length ofrallies. Longer rallies make the game more pleasurable to players and atthe same time increase the degree of sustained exercise

The angled upper portion of the end walls provides a further dimensionto the game and for skilled players, can add to the level of skillrequired to play the game successfully.

The game has been conceived with a view to providing a game capable ofbeing enjoyed by players having a wide range of skill levels and thesimplicity of the rules enable the game to be played at an exercise rateto suit the skill and fitness level of the players In the absence ofline markings, points may be lost effectively only on footfaults,hitting the net or missing the ball.

The size of the apparatus is such that it may form a permanent orsemi-permanent structure in a conventional backyard and for outdoor usethe apparatus may include a waterproof roofing material in the event ofinclement weather. The mesh-like walls enable the game to be played inan insect free environment and the structure, if required, may beemployed for other outdoor recreational pursuits.

The simplicity of the structure is such that it permits easy erectionand dismantling on say, a seasonal basis for outdoor use, or on aregular basis for indoor use in a meeting hall or the like. Otherembodiments of the invention may include a foldable structure whereinthe frame elements are pivoted for easy erection or dismantling.

Other aspects of the invention include modular frame components whichmay assist in erection and dismantling and/or changes to the dimensionsof the playing arena.

It will be readily apparent to a skilled addressee that manymodifications and variations will be possible with the apparatus andgame according to the invention without departing from the spirit andscope thereof.

I claim:
 1. An apparatus for playing a ball game, said apparatuscomprising:an enclosed playing arena having a generally rectangularplaying area; upright wall means surrounding said playing area andincluding at least one pair of opposed side walls; roof means extendingover said playing arena and extending between opposed upper regions ofsaid wall means; and, a plurality of upright spaced substantiallyparallel barrier means extending transversely of said playing area todivide said playing area into two substantially equal player's zones,said player's zones each including a ball service boundary marked on andextending transversely of each said player's zone, an upper edge of eachsaid barrier means being spaced from said roof means; and wherein upperportions of said at least one pair of opposed side walls are inclinedinwardly at an angle of between 30 degrees and 60 degrees relative toupright portions of respective ones of said opposed side walls.
 2. Anapparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said barrier means comprise acoarse weave net-like material.
 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2,wherein said upper portions of said at least one pair of opposed sidewalls are inclined inwardly at 45 degrees relative to upright portionsof respective side walls.
 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 whereinsaid apparatus includes a frame structure mountable on a base surface,said frame structure supporting substantially planar wall and roofsurfaces, each said base surface, wall and roof surface forming playingsurfaces for a ball game played within said apparatus.
 5. An apparatusas claimed in claim 4 wherein said frame structure is foldable and/ordemountable.
 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said wallsurfaces comprise a woven mesh material.
 7. An apparatus as claimed inclaim 4 wherein said roof surface comprises a weatherproof material. 8.An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 including securable access means in aside wall to allow entry to or exit from the playing arena.
 9. Anapparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said securable access meanscommunicates with the space between said spaced barrier means.